Iowa City, Iowa’s Big Grove Brewery is one of the fastest-growing craft breweries in the Midwest, and it is always doing something interesting. The brewery’s micro grant concept, for example, offers direct funds ($250 to $1,000) for community projects that “just doing good.” This week the good turns inward as Big Grove announced their intention to expand regionally while also offering store directors a stake in that expansion.
Big Grove Brewery leadership is offering taproom Store Directors the opportunity to become owners in the company, specifically within their taproom locations.
“We believe the best way to grow is by growing together,” said Doug Goettsch, co-founder of Big Grove Brewery. “Our team members are the soul of this company, and offering them this opportunity to build equity in their stores is one of the most meaningful ways we can invest back into our people.”
In addition to the ownership option, Big Grove is also revealing plans for expansion into Kansas City, with a new taproom scheduled for the summer of 2026.
Big Grove Brewery employee ownership
Big Grove is now distributing in six Midwest states and operating taprooms in two states with a third on the way. Under this new owner initiative, Store Directors can invest in and share in the success of their specific location while fostering deeper accountability, ownership values, and an entrepreneurial energy within each taproom.
The ownership program is launching alongside the opening of a new Big Grove taproom in Omaha, Nebraska, this summer, in addition to the just-announced Kansas City location. Reinvestment efforts are also underway in current locations, underscoring the company’s long-term commitment to each community it serves.
Three of the current Iowa-based taprooms were the first to implement the ownership program with the following Store Directors:
- –Andrew Mitchell, Cedar Rapids
- –Alexi Schlesinger, Des Moines
- –Katie Neuzil, Solon
All three of the new owners served various roles within their respective taprooms and have been with the company for years. “Starting with the company close to nine years ago as a bartender, I never thought I’d be a part owner. But that’s Big Grove, where you can work your way up,” said Mitchell.
“We’ve always said we want our stores to reflect the communities we serve,” said Matt Swift, co-founder and CEO of Big Grove Brewery. “Now we’re taking that one step further—putting ownership directly in the hands of the people leading those community hubs every day.”
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